Package forming machine

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an apparatus for forming a package from a plurality of containers and a wrap-around carrier blank. The apparatus includes a mechanism for transferring a blank from a hopper to a mechanism which applies the same to a group of bottles. The mechanism includes means for at least partially separating a lowermost blank from immediately adjacent blanks and a pair of articulately mounted gripping heads which prevent slippage between each gripped blank and the heads, as well as means for bowing each blank during the removal thereof. Articles about which the blanks are wrapped are bottom-supported by individual grouped supporting elements while being conveyed by pusher lugs. Means are provided for conveying different numbers of articles and/or different sizes thereof and means are provided for adjusting the relative position of each pusher lug and associated supporting elements depending upon the particular number and/or size of containers being conveyed. The pusher lugs are articulately carried by endless members to compensate for inaccurately sized articles and prevent breakage or damage thereto during the conveying operation.

O United States Patent 1 1111 3 3,766,704

Ganz Oct. 23, 1973- [54] PACKAGE FORMING MACHINE Primary Examiner-JamesL. Jones, Jr.

[75] Inventor: Robert H. Ganz, Bergenfield, jssistam ;l l" ?l Abrams[73] Assignee: Continental Can Cor'npany,-Inc., Home), es J. er et al'New York, NY.

[57] ABSTRACT [22] Filed: Oct. 8, 1970 1 This invention relates to anapparatus for formmg a PP 79,177 package from a plurality of containersand a wrap- Related us. Application Data around carrier blank. Theapparatus includes a mech- [62] Division ofSer. No. 862567 Aug i 1969Pat No amsm f9- tran-Sferrmg-a wank from a hopper to a 3,627,309, whichis a divisidn of Se r. 196670882 mechamsm app-hes the same to a group ofSept 27 1967 Pat No 3 550 754' ties. The mechanism includes means for atleast partially separating a lowermost blank from immediately adjacentblanks and a pair of articulately mounted {if}ii'i'if'.:JJJJJJIJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ333111762 55553633 ghhhhg hhhhh whhhhhhhhgh hhhhhhh hhhh 581 Field of Search 53/3248 49 209- the heads as asmeans 1 I Y 6 bowing each blank during the removal thereof. Articlesabout which the blanks are wrapped are bottomsupported by individualgrouped supporting elements [56] References Cited while being conveyedby pusher lugs. Means are pro- UNITED STATES PATENTS vided for conveyingdifferent numbers of articles and- 3,037,609 6 1962 Steele 61 al. 198/34different sizes .thereof i means are provided for 3,234,706 2/1966Arneson I 11. 53/48 adjusting the each Pusher lug and 3,325,966 6/1967.Bruce 6:61. 53/48 x assmlated Supporting elements depending the3,108,414 10/1963 Schleicher 6: al. 53/48 Particular "umber and/0r Sizeof containers being 3,295,291 l/l967 Wood 53/48 x y The Pusher lugs arearticulately carried by less members to compensate for inaccuratelysized articles and prevent breakage or damage thereto during theconveying operation.

7 9 Claims, 19 Drawing Figures PATENTED BCI 23 l973 SHEET 010? 10PAIENIEBumzams v d.766,704

sum 02m 1 lwnl k INVENTOI sum 030$ 10 mtmznum 23 ms minnow 23 um 3.762704 SHEET 05 0F 10 mama noun a. z

ATTORNEYS PAIENIEflnm 23 mm,

mm user 10 INVBNTOR ROBERT mtm nmza ms SHZET 07UF 10 Pmmmnu 23 m3 7 66,7 04 sum 08 or 10 INVINNI ROIIRT H GANZ ATTORNEYS sum user 10PAIENIEHMII 2 ma PACKAGE FORMING MACHINE This is a division of mycopending application Ser. No. 862,567, entitled Package FormingMachine, filed Aug. 1, 1969, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,309 issued Dec. 14,1971, which is in turn a division of my earlier copending applicationSer. No. 670,882, entitled Package Forming Machine, filed Sept. 27,1967, and now US. Pat. No. 3,550,754 issued Dec. 29, 1970.

It is relatively well known to form'wrap-around type' packages from aplurality of articles, such as glass or plastic bottles, metallic cansor similar containers, by conveying the articles along a predeterminedpath and progressively wrapping a carrier blank about selected groups ofthe articles. The carrier blanks are normally individually removed froma hopper and advanced above and in timed relationship with the'conveyedarticles. Conventional folders, such as rotatingblades or discs,progressively folding individual carrier blanks about the groupedarticles toward a generally tubular configuration after which, dependingupon the carrier blank structure, the'carrier blanks'are secured in thegenerally tubular configuration thereof by, for example, interengageablelocking tabs and openings formed in closure panels of the blanks.

Such conventional apparatuses are, for the most part, quite acceptablebut distinct disadvantages have been found to exist in conventionalmechanisms thereof. One major disadvantage is the inability ofconventional blank feeding or removing mechanisms to transfer a blankfrom a hopper to a conveying mechanism without slippage and/ormisalignment between the blank and the group of bottles about which theblank is subsequently wrapped. Exact alignment is particularly desirablein blanks having openings for receiving the necks of articles beingwrapped and/or interlockable latching tabs and openings. If misalignmentoccurs between the neck-receiving opening and the container neckmachine-jamming can occur and'interlocking of the closure panels isimpossible, thereby increasing down-time for adjustment, repairs, etc.and/or the formation of tles are conveyed by conventionalpusher-typemechanisms. Such mechanisms generally include a pair of Iendless members and a plurality of pusher lugs carried packages whichare unlatched, insecurely latched and unacceptable. t

Another disadvantage of conventional machines is the excessive machinechangeover time required to alter a conventional machine to wrap apredetermined number and/or size of containers after a different numberand/or size of containers have been initially wrapped. it is quitecommon, for example, for a packager towrap containers'i'n groups of sixwith three containers to a line and two containers to'a group (2 X 3),

resulting in the conventional six-pack package. Each 7 container isgenerally of the same overall size although the sizes may vary somewhatbecause of manufacturing tolerances. After the completion of thesix-pack run it may be desirable to form 2 X 4 or 2 X 2 packages of thesame or different'size containers or 2 X Sjpackages of a different sizearticles than those of the first run. When the containers are eachbottom-supported by an individual conventional, supporting'eleme'nt and'conveyed by conventional pusher lugs the changeover time is appreciablebecause of the necessary reorientationlbetween the pusher lugs and thesupporting elements resulting, of course, in increased packaging costs.

Another disadvantage which is more particularly "re' lated to thewrapping of frangible containers, such as glass bottles, is the problemofbreakage when the botby each which engage between the trailing bottleof a leading group of bottles and the leading bottle ofa trailing groupof bottles. If the bottles are oversize, generally because ofmanufacturing tolerances, the normal center-to-center distance betweentrailing and leading bottles of leading and trailing groups,respectively, is foreshortened and the pusher lug which should normallyenter this space and contact the trailing bottle of the leading groupinstead contacts the leading bottle of the trailing group and the latterbottle normally breaks or tips over thereby resulting in an improperlywrapped package and/or machine jamming.

In keeping with the specifically noted and other disadvantages ofconventional packaging apparatuses, it is a primary object of thisinvention to provide a novel apparatus which completely overcomes thenoted disadvantages: by preventing realtive slippage between a blankremoved from the hopper and the mechanism removing the same, providingmeans for rapidly adjusting the apparatus for successive runs ofdifferent size and- /or numbers of articles to be wrapped, andadditionally providing novel conveying means which prevent the breakageof frangible containers or other damage to other though non-frangiblecontainers.

A further object of thisinvention is to provide a novel apparatus of thetype immediately heretofore set forth wherein the mechanism for removingeach blank from an associated hopper includes means for forming a gapbetween the two lowermost blanks in a hopper, and means for bowing thelowermost blank during the removal thereof from the hopper wherebyslippage of the removed blank and the removing means is precluded.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel apparatusconstructed in accordance with the aforementioned objects andadditionally including means for less support conveyors each of whichincludes a plurality of supporting elements arranged in groups for indi--vidually bottom-supporting each. container, a pair of endless pusherconveyors associated with the supporting conveyors, and means forproviding relative adjustment betweeneach pusher lug and its associatedgroup of supporting elements whereby different groups of containersvarying insize or number may be wrapped by the apparatus. a

'With the 'above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appearthe nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claims and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

TH E'DRAW'INGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of .an apparatusconstructed in accordance with'this invention for wrapping containersinwrap-around type carrier blanks and illustrates a hopper from which alowermost blank is removed by a feeding mechanism and fed in generallyoverlying relationship to groups of containers individually supported byfinger-like supporting elements of'a supporting conveyor while beingconveyed from left-' to-right by a pair of pusher conveyors.

FIG. 2a is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally alongline 2a2a of FIG. 1, and more clearly illustrates the blank feedingmechanism and one of a pair of articulately mounted gripping headsthereof.

FIG. 2b is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken generally alongline 2b-2b of FIG. 1, and illustrates means for initiating the foldingof the blank toward a tubular configuration about a group of containers.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view with certain parts broken awayfor clarity taken generally along line 33 ofFIG. 2b, and more clearlyillustrates the supporting and conveying means, and means for providingrelative adjustment between pusher lugs of the conveying means andassociated groups of supporting elements of the supporting means.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken generally alongline 4-4 of FIG. 1, and illustrates the gripping heads of the blankfeeding mechanism adjacent and on opposite sides of a predetermined pathalong which the containers are advanced.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the blank feedingmechanism, and illustrates the gripping means in the uppermost positionthereof and means for cyclically driving the gripping means tosuccessively remove lowermost ones of the blanks from the hopper.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the blank feedingmechanism, and illustrates a blank carried by the gripping head justafter being removed from the hopper.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the blank feedingmechanism, and illustrates the blank being positioned upon a group ofcontainers during the advancement of the blank and the containers.

FIG.- 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 8-8of FIG. 7, and illustrates means for bowing the removed blank, andlostmotion means connecting each gripping head to an associated arm ofthe feeding mechanism.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 8, and illustrates theposition of the blank just prior to the release thereof by the grippingmeans.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of one of the gripping heads, andmoreclearly illustrates the manner in which the gripping head isconnected to its associated arm.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view taken generally along line 11-11"of FIG. 7, and illustrates means for guiding side panels of the blankabout the outer peripheries of the containers.

FIG. 12 is a highly enlarged sectional view taken'generally along linel2l2 of FIG. 3, and illustrates the means for adjusting each pusher lugof the conveying means relative to its associated group of underlyingsupporting elements of the supporting means.

FIG. 13a is a highly diagrammatic view of a plurality of correctly sizedcontainers, and illustrates a pusher lug articulately carried by theconveying means entering a space between a trailing container of aleading group of containers and a leading container of a trailing groupof containers.

- FIG. 13b is a view similar to FIG. 13a, and illustrates a plurality ofcontainers at least some of which are of an incorrect size, and themanner in which the pusher lug is deflected by the leading container ofthe trailing group toward a position for subsequent contact with thetrailing container of the leading group.

FIGS. 14 and 15 are fragmentary top plan views similar to FIG. 13b, andillustrate the final position of the pusher lug and its associatedtrailing container.

FIG. 16 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the supportingmeans, and illustrates in relationship between three containers of aparticular size the group of supporting elements associated therewithand one of the pusher lugs of the conveying means.

FIG. 17 is a fragmentary top plan view of the apparatus similar to FIG.16, and illustrates the same group of supporting elements and pusher lugafter being adjusted relative to each other for advancing containers ofa larger size than those illustrated in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a highly enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of aportion of one of the grippingheads, and illustrates means carriedthereby for partially separating a lowermost blank in the hopper from animmediately adjacent upper blank incident to the removal of thelowermost blank therefrom.

Reference is first made to FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings which fullyillustrate the novel apparatus 20 for forming a package from awrap-around type carrier blank B and a plurality of containers C. Theapparatus 20 includes a frame 21 having lateral sides 22, 23 betweenwhich are disposed a mechanism 25 for correctly spacing and aligning thecontainers C as they are advanced from left-to-right (FIG. 3), amechanism for feeding blanks in generally superimposed relationship to agroup of the containers, means for folding each blank about anassociated group of the containers, means for bottom-supporting theindividual containers of each group, means for conveying each group ofcontainers in timed relationship with the supporting means 40, and meansfor interlockingly securing closure panels of each blank to each otherto complete the formation of the packages.

The containers C are initially fed from left-to-right by a pair ofin-feed conveyors 26, 27 having upper runs disposed in a horizontalplane substantially coplanar witha transfer plate 28 which isconventionallysupported medially of the walls 22, 23. The transfer ofthe containers C from the conveyors 26, 27 to the plate 28 is effectedby the separating or grouping means 25 in the manner 'best illustratedin FIG. 3 of the drawings.

The spacing means 25 include a pair of endless conveyor members 29, 31carrying a plurality of separating elements 32. The endless member 29 isentrained about sprocket 33, 34 and a guide 36 while the endless mem ber31 is entrained about sprockets 37, 36 and a guide 41. The guides 38, 41define generally converging and diverging upstream and downstreamportions of the separator means 25 to facilitate the respectiveintroduction and withdrawal of the separating elements 32 relative tothe containers C. I

The sprockets 36, 37 are keyed to shafts (unnumbered) which are suitablyjournalled to the frame 21 of the apparatus 20. The sprockets 34, 38 aresimilarly keyedto shafts 42, 43, respectively, (FIGS. 3 and 4) which arein turn supported from the walls 22, 23 by respective journalingbrackets 44, 46. The lower ends of the shafts 42, 43 carry beveled gears47, 48 which are in mesh with respective gears 49, 51 keyed to a shaft52 which is journalled between the walls 22, 23. A sprocket 53 is alsokeyed to the shaft and a main drive chain 54 connects the sprocket 53with a main drive motor (not shown).

When the motor is in operation the main drive sprocket 53 and itsassociated main drive shaft 52 are rotated in a counter-clockwisedirection as viewed from the side wall 23 toward the side wall 22. Thiscounter-clockwise rotation of the shaft 52 imparts clockwise rotation tothe sprocket 38 and its associated endless member 31 andcounter-clockwise rotation to the sprocket 34 and its associated endlessmember 29. The innermost runs (unnumbered) of the endless members 29, 31are therefore advanced from left-to-right at identical speeds with thespacing elements 32 in transverse alignment thereby both advancing thecontainers C and correctly spacing the containers to receive thereonindividual blanks B removed from a hopper 56 of the blank removing andfeeding means 30.

The hopper 56 of the blank removing and feeding mechanism 30 is mountedfor adjustable movement upwardly and downwardly relative to the transferplate 28, as well as being adjustable to receive various size blanks B.The hopper 56 includes a pair of lateral side rails 57, 58 adjacent andgenerally parallel to the side walls 22, 23. The rails 57, 58 eachinclude an identical slot 60. The rails 57, 58 are secured to respectivevertical supports 61, 62 (FIGS. l, 2a and 4). Each of the verticalsupports 61, 62 carries a rack 63 at a lower end portion thereof whichis in meshed relationship with an associated gear 64 fixed to a shaft65. The shaft 65 includes a handwheel 66 adjacent the side wall 23 whichcan be manually grasped and rotated to rotate the shaft 65, theassociated gears 64 and thereby raise or lower the supports 61, 62 whichare guided during the movement thereof in slotted housing 67, 68 securedto respective walls 22, 23 (FIG. 1).

A pair of rails 70, 71 are positioned generally normal to the rails 57,58, and are joined thereto in adjustable relationship by bolts(unnumbered) received in the slots 60. The rails 70, 71 can thereby bemoved toward or away from each other to vary the size of the hopper toaccommodate blanks of different widths. j

A stack of blanks are supported in the hopper 56 by a plurality ofsupporting tongues 72 through 77. The tongues 72, 73 and 74, 75 areconnected to the respective rails 70, 71 by respective vertical guides78, 79 and conventional fasteneres (unnumbered). Transverse edges of thestack of blanks are supported by the tongues 76, 77 which, as bestillustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4 of the drawings, are carried by the rails57, 58 and can be adjusted normal thereto by the unnumbered slot andbolt connections shown in these figures. Therefore, by adjusting therails 70, 71 toward or away from each other the tongues 72 through 75can be spaced to increase or decrease the width of the hopper while thetongues 76, 77 may be adjusted to increase or decrease the lengththereof. In this manner the hopper 56 can be quickly varied in size toaccommodate blanks of different lengths, widths and configurations.

A pair of means, each generally designated by the reference numeral 80(FIGS. 2a and 4) are provided for gripping each lowermost blank in thehopper 56, removing the blank therefrom, and advancing the blank in thedirection of container travel to assemble the gripped blank and aselected group of the containers.

The pair of blank gripping means are generally identical to each otherand each includes a generally T- shaped gripping head 81 (FIG. 10)having a base 82 and a leg 83 which is ap ertured at 84 and carries apin 85. A pair of vacuum or suction cups 86, 87 is secured to and isplaced in fluid communication with a conventional valved vacuum source(not shown). Means 88 in the form of an upstanding rigid post isassociated with each gripping head -81 adjacent the vacuum cup 86 forpartially separating the lowermost blank in the hopper 56 from animmediately adjacent upper blank to prevent more than one blank frombeingremoved fromthe 'hopper during the operation of themechanism 30,as'

will appear more fully hereafter. Means 89 in the form of arigidupstanding post which is peripherally relieved to define aplurality of shoulders 90-92 is also carried by each gripping head 81adjacent the blank separating means 88. The shoulders 90-92 of each ofthe means 89 function to overlyingly contact an uppermost surface of theblank being removed by the gripping means 80 to prevent relativeslippage between the blank and the gripping means during the removal ofthe blank from the hopper and the subsequent transfer to the group ofcontainers in a manner which will also appear more apparent hereafter.

Each' gripping head 81 is pivotally connected to a two-piece arm 93having a slot and bolt connection 94 (FIG. 2a) for adjusting the lengthof the arms. Each gripping head 81 is connected to its associated arm 93by a lost-motion link 95- and a pair of pins 96, 97. The pin 96 isreceived in openings 98, 99 of its associated arm93 and link 95 whilethe pin 97 is received in another aperture 100 of the link 95 and theaperture 84 of the gripping head leg 83. A spring 101 is connectedbetween the pin 85 and a pin 102 (FIGS. 2a, 4 and 7) carried by the arm93. The function of the spring 101 is to normally bias the base 82 ofeach of the gripping heads 81 into contact with a ledge or stop 103 ofeach arm 93 to maintain the gripping heads 81 in a generally horizontalplane, in the manner illustrated in phantom outline in FIG. 8 of thedrawings. 1 I I [A lower endgportion (unnumbered) of each of the arms 93carries a pin 104 which is slidably received in a slot 105 ofa verticalplate l06'secured to the base (unnumbered)..'of theframework 2 1. I

Each of the arms 93 is connected to a shaft 108 by a link 109 which ispivotally connected at 110 to the arm 93 and rigidly connected at itsopposite end to the shaft 108. The shaft 108 is journalled between thewalls 5 22, 23 and has fixedly connected thereto a-link 111. The link111 has a cam follower 1 12 at its terminal end which engages against acam surface 113 of a cam 114.

. The cam 114 is connected to the shaft 52 which, as was heretoforenoted, rotates in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed 'in FIGS. -2aand 7.

Assuming that the gripping means 80 are positioned as viewed in FIG. 2aof the drawings and the shaft 52 is rotating counter-clockwise, the camsurface 1 13 acting against the cam follower 112 turns the link 111 inav clockwise direction which rotates the shaft 108 in the Assuming thevacuum cups 86, 87 were placed in fluid communication just prior tocontact with the lowermost blank subsequent downward movement of thegripping means 80 toward the position shown in FIG. 6 of the drawingsmight cause not only the removal of the lowermost blank but a nextsucceeding blank unless otherwise provided for. In the instant case theremoval of the next lowermost blank is prevented by forming at least apartial gap G (FIG. 18) between the two lowermost blanks by the posts88. During the upward movement of each gripping head 81 its associatedpost 88 contacts the lowermost blank and deforms the material bycompressing and reducing the normal thickness thereof. This slightlylifts all of the blanks above the lowermost blank to form the gap Gwhich materially reduces the area of contact between the lowermost andnext succeeding blank thereby reducing frictional and drag forces. Itshould also be noted that in the absence of the gap G the vacuum drawnthrough the porous material (paperstock) of the lowermost blank wouldalso affect the next blank and both could be withdrawn from the hopper.However, the gap permits air to be drawn from the lateral sides of theblanks under the influence of any vacuum drawn through the porouslowermost blank thereby precluding the withdrawal of a next succeedingblank.

Referring again to FIG. 5 of the drawings, it will be noted that therelieved posts 89 of each of the gripping heads 81 are positionedslightly (one-sixteenth inch) to the left of the leftmost edge of theblanks in the hopper 56. Any tendency of the blank carried by thegripping means 80 to move rearward is thereby resisted by each of therelieved posts 89 while any tendency of the blank to move upwardly andaway from the gripping heads is prevented by the shoulders 90-92. Inthis manner relative movement or slippage between the gripped blank andthe gripping heads is substantially reduced, maintained at a minimum andin most cases eliminated completely, thereby maintaining the blankproperly aligned for subsequent application to a group of the containersC.

With the continued rotation of the shaft 52 the gripping heads 81 movefrom the position shown in FIG. 6 toward the position illustrated inFIG. 7. During this movement opposite ends of the blank carried by thegripping means 80 are bowed (FIG. 8), a central portion of the blank issupported, and a leading edge of the blank is guided downwardly and tothe right both by the movement of the arms 93, a pair of guides andpivoting movement of the gripping heads, as will'be more apparentimmediately hereafter.

Referringnow to FIGS. 1 and 8 of the drawings, it

will be seen that as the gripping heads 81 descend from the phantomoutline position in FIG. 8 toward the solid line position thereofopposite end portions of the gripped and removed blank contact rails120, 121

which are in turn supported .by the respective tongues 76, 77. Acentermost portion or top panel of the blank is also drawn into contactwith an upper surface of a support 122 having an end portion 123connected to the rail 70 and an opposite terminal end portion.Therefore, as the blank is drawn downwardly it initially contacts therails 120, 121 and the support 122 at which time the blank is disposedentirely horizontally. However, as the arms 93 continue to descend andmove in the direction of container travel like movement of the grippingheads begins to bow the blank which facilitates the guiding of thecontainer necks (unnumbered) into neck-receiving openings (also notshown) of the blank. Slippage between the gripping heads and the blanksduring this bowing is precluded by the lostmotion connection of eachgripping head to its associated arm 93. Any tendency of the vacuum cupsto release the blank or shift relative to the blank is prevented by themovement of the gripping heads closer toward the containers C as theblank is bowed due to the lost-motion connection, as is readily apparentfrom a comparison of the uppermost gripping heads 81 in phantom outlinein FIG. 8 and the solid outline illustration in this same figure. As thegripped blank reaches the position illustrated in FIG. 9 of the drawingsthe vacuum to the cups 86, 87 is discontinued and the gripping heads aredrawn from the solid to the phantom outline position in FIG. 9 by theassociated spring 101.

Just prior to the release of each blank by the gripping means 80, theforwardmost edge of the blank is positioned beneath three rollers 124l26(FIG. 4) which are supported for vertical adjustment from the rail 71.The forward edge of the side panels of the blank are also progressivelyguided downwardly into generally embracing relationship to the group ofcontainers by inclined guide surfaces 127, 128 of respective guides 129,130, carried by the rail 71 (FIGS. 1 and 4). A leaf spring 131 (FIGS. 1,2b and 11) between the guides 129, urges the top panel of the blank intointimate engagement with the upper surface of the support 122 and theblank is now positioned for further folding by the mechanism 35. It isto be noted that the guides and the leaf spring are carried by agenerally U-shaped frame 132 connected to the rail 71 and are thereforemoved with the rail 71 during any adjustment thereof.

After the blank and containers pass beyond the guides 129, 130 rotatingfolders 135, 136 (FIGS. 1, 2b and 9) disposed outboard of the respectiveguides 129, 130 fold the blank to the configuration thereof illustratedin FIG. 11 as the folders rotate with a shaft 137 to which they arekeyed. The shaft 137 (FIG. 1) is journalled between the walls 22, 23,and is rotated by means of a sprocket 138, a drive chain 139 and asprocket 140 keyed to the shaft 52 (FIG. 4)..

As the blank and group of containers pass beyond the folding mechanism35 the top panel of the blank is urged into intimate conformingrelationship with the containers by means of three rotating rollers 142,143 and 144 fixed to a shaft 145 (FIG. 1) which is journalled betweenthe walls 22, 23. The shaft 145 is driven by a chain 146 throughsprockets 147, 148 fixed to the respective shafts 137,145. The rollers142 through 144 preferably. include resilient peripheral surfaces andare so spaced along the shaft 145 that the roller 143 urges the toppanel downwardly along its centerline while the rollers 142, 144 urgeshoulder side panels of the blank downwardly and into intimate engagingrelationship with the shoulders (unnumbered) of the containers.

The leading and trailing edges of each of the blanks B illustrated inthe drawings is provided with respective forwardly and rearwardlydirected end-identification panels which are designed to be deflecteddownwardly to a position substantially normal to the axis of thecompleted tubular package. In order to deflect these end-identificationpanels of the top panels downwardly a .pair of indenting blades 150, 151(FIGS. 1 and 2b) are fixed to and rotatably carried by a shaft 152journalled between the side walls 22, 23. The indenting blades 150, 151each includes a cam lobe portion 153,

and are so driven as to first deflect the leading endidentificationpanel downwardly during a first revolu Referring to FIG. 2b of thedrawings, it is to be noted that the transfer plate 28 terminatesadjacent and substantially in a common plane with the supporting means40. At this point of transition the containers are individuallybottom-supported by the supporting means while being now advanced by theconveying means 40, 45.

Reference is made particularly to FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings whichillustrate the supporting means 40 as being formed by a pair of endlesschains or members 160, 161 and the conveying means 45 as a similar pairof endless chains or conveyors 162, 163 positioned above the endlessmembers 160, 161. The endless member 160 isentrained aboutsprockets 164through 167 keyed to vertical shafts (unnumbered) suitably journalled tothe frame 21 while the endless member 162 is similarly entrained aboutsprockets 168 through 171 keyed to respective unnumbered shaftsjournalled to the frame 21, it being noted that the sprockets 164 and168 are connected to an identical shaft 172 for a reason to be morefully set forth hereafter. The endless member 161 is likewise entrainedabout sprockets 174 through 177 while the endless member 163 isentrained about sprockets 178 through 181, it being noted that thesprockets 174, 178 are likewise carried by a common shaft 182 (FIGS. 3and 12).

The inner runs of the supporting and conveying mechanisms 40, 45,respectively, are driven from leftto-right by means of a pair of drivechains 190, 191 entrained about and driven by sprockets 192, 193connected to the respective shafts 43, 42 (FIG. 4) and a sprocket 194connected to each of the shafts 172, 182 in the manner best illustratedin FIG. 12 of the drawmgs. v v

The following description of the relationship between the sprockets174,178 and the relationship thereof to the endless members 161, 163 isequally applicable'to secured to the shaft 182hby a key 196. Thesprockets 174, 178 are secured to. each other by a pair of bolts 197,198 which project through arcuate slots 200, 201 respectively of thesprocket 178 and are in threaded engagement with threaded apertures 202,203. The arcuate configuration of the slots formed in the sprocket 178is best illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. Upon loosening the bolts197, 198 the sprocket 178 can be turned clockwise or counter-clockwiseto move the endless member 162 relative to the endless member 161. Uponrepositioning theseendless members the bolts 197, 198 may again betightened to secure the sprocket 178 to the sprocket 174 after which theselected relative position of the endless members 161, 163 remainsunchanged unless the bolts 197,198 are again loosened. This relativeadjustment between the endless members 161, 163, as well as similarrelative wrapped by each blank, as' will be more apparent heremovementof the endless members 160, 162 permits the rapid adjustment of themechanisms 40, to accommodate different numbers of containers beingafter. v

Eachof the endless members 160, 161 carriesa plurality of identicalgroups 205 (FIGS. 16 and 17) of supporting elements 206, 207, 208 and209. Each supporting element 206 through 209 includes a finger 210having a center line 211. The function of the fingers 210 is to enterinto an associated opening (unnumbered) in" the side panels of theblanks and engage the bottommost surface of each container to supportthe same during the movement thereof from left-to-right in the mannermore fully disclosed in the commonly assigned application to Robert H.Ganz, Ser. No. 623,893, filed Mar. 17, 1967 now us; Pat. No. 3,474,590,dated Oct. 28, 1969 members 227 for interengaging the panel lockingmembers. The mechanism which is laterally aligned with the containersupporting elements 205. However, in addition to so functioning thesupporting elements 206 are constructed and arranged in the groups 205to transfer different'numbers of the containers during different runsand/or different numbers and sizes of containersduring different runs toreduce the change-over time required by similar conventionalapparatuses.

As is best illustrated in FIG. 16 of the drawings, the groups 205 ofsupporting elements 206 through 209 are spaced from each other apredetermined distance and in the example illustrated in FIG. 16 thepitch center is 13 inches as measured between the center lines of thetwo illustrated supporting elements 209, 209. It will be also noted thatthe distance between the center line of the supporting elements 206through 208 and a leftmost edge of each is l-% inches while the distancebetween the center line of each of these same supporting elements to itsrightmost edge is l-%inches. However, the supporting element 209 of eachgroup 205 is positioned such that the distance between its center lineand its leftmost edge is l-% inches while the distance between itscenter line and the rightmost edge is l% "inches. Thus, assuming asin'the illustrated embodiment of. the invention" that containers having2-% inches diameters are being wrapped by each of the blanks B, eachcontainer is supported upon each of the supporting elements 206, 207 and208 but no contain ers are supported by the supporting elements 209 asshown in FIG. 16. If after wrapping 6-pa'cks of. 2-% inches diametercontainers a packager desires to wrap,

for example, four-pack packages of containers having Z-S inchesdiameters the -containers are supported upon the supporting elements208, 209, as illustrated in FIG. 17 of the drawings. Thecenter-to-center distance of the fingers of the supporting elements 208,209-is 2-% inches, thereby corresponding closely to the center-to-centerdistance (2% inches)'of the containers. This changeover between thenumbers and/or sizes of the containers between two different runs istherefore accomplished without many way altering the supporting elements206 through 209, and all that is required is toreposition a pusher lug215 of the mechanism 45 relative to its associated group 205 ofsupporting elements. This repositioning is accomplished by the mechanismillustrated in FIG. 12, as well as the similar unillustrated mechanismassociated with the sprockets 164, 168, in the manner heretoforedescribed. Therefore, assuming again the 2%; inches diameter containersare being conveyed as illustrated in FIG. 16 the pusher 215 shown inthis figure contacts the trailing container as does a similar pusher(not shown) transversely opposite thereto to advance the containers fromleft-to-right as they are supported on each of the supporting elements206 through 208. However, in the case of the larger diameter containersthe endless members are shifted relative to each other to bring thepusher 215 of FIG. 17 to a position at which the trailing containersupported upon the supporting element 208 is contacted to advance thesecontainers to the right simultaneously with the support thereof upon thesupporting elements 208, 209. Thus, without appreciable effort or delaythe simultaneously driven mechanisms 40, 45 can be stopped, shiftedrelative to each other depending upon the size and/or number ofcontainers to be packaged, and restarted for another packaging run.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 13a through of the drawings whichillustrate the manner in which the pusher lugs of the mechanismautomatically compensate for incorrectly sizes containers beingtransported by the mechanisms 40, 45. In FIG. 13a a plurality ofcontainers which are each of a correct external diameter are shown beingadvanced to the right as the pusher lug 215 enters a space between thetrailing container of a leading group of containers and a leadingcontainer of a trailing group of containers. The pusher lug 215 is of agenerally J -shaped configuration and includes a leg 216 positionedbetween a pair of ears 217, 218 of a leading link of the endless memberand a pair of ears 219, 220 of a trailing link. A pin connected betweenthe ears 217, 218 is passed through an inclined slot 221 formed in theleg 216 with the-slot having an axis disposed at an angle ofapproximately 45 when the leg 216 is in parallel relationship to itsassociated endless member (FIG. 14).

Again referring specifically to FIG. 13a of the drawings, assuming allof the containers are correctly sized the pusher lug enters the space orgap shown until contact is made with the trailing container (FIGS. 14and 15) after which the lug 215 and a transversely adjacent lug conveythe containers and the associated blank to the right as shown in thesefigures. 2

Assuming, however, that a container or a plurality of the containers isof an incorrect size, as shown in FIG. 13b of the drawings, any error inthe container size is compounded and unless otherwise provided for thepusher lug 215 cannot be properly presented to the trailing containersas necessary and leading containers are struck, broken or tipped over.For example, assuming that one or more of the containers in FIG. 13b areoversize diameter-wise the centers of the containers shift to the rightas is readily apparent from a comparison of FIGS. 13bv and 13a, therebyresulting in the. shifting of the gap between the trailing container ofa loading group which is being wrapped and the leading container of atrailing group. When this occurs in conventional apparatuses and is nototherwise provided for a rigidly mounted lug would move to the phantomoutline position illustrated in FIG. 13b thereby breaking the contactedcontainer or toppling over the same. However, any of the pusher lugs 215which contact a container in the manner illustrated in phantom outlinein FIG. 13!) are cammed to the right to the solid position by thecontact with this container and the slot and pin arrangement for entryinto the space between the two containers. The pusher lug of FIG. 13bis, in effect, cammed inwardly to the right during its movement andenters the gap between the containers irrespective of variations in thediameters which in accordance with the invention may be as high as inchvariance between every three containers.

The mechanism 50, as shown in FIG. 3, includes plow forming folder platemembers 225 and 226 for folding, in proper order, the bottom forming endpanels of the blank inwardly into bottom wall forming relation beneaththe containers and plow forming blade completes the formation of thepackage in the manner fully disclosed in the noted application, Ser. No.623,893, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,474,590, and a further description thereofis believed unnecessary for a complete understanding of this invention.

It is believed apparent from the foregoing that novel and advantageousprovisions have been made for carrying out the desired ends, but it isto be understood that variations may be made in the disclosed apparatuswithout departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Forexample, the arrangement of the supporting elements 206 through 209 canbe changed, if necessary, to accommodate packages other than 2 X 3(six-pack), 2 X 4 (eight-pack), and 2 X 2 (four-pack) between 2-% inchesto 2-"/s inches diameters, as can now be accommodated by the disclosedarrangement. The numbers of supporting elements in each group 205 can beincreased or decreased and variations in the center-to-center distancebetween the fingers 210 may be achieved by, for example, removing anyone of the supporting elements from its associated endless member,rotating the same 180, and reattaching the supporting element to theendless member. Each supporting finger 210 is also removed from theposition shown in FIG. 12 and inserted in the unnumbered lower slotthereby maintaining all the supporting fingers 210 in an identicalhorizontal plane.

It is also pointed out that while blanks of the neckthrough type havebeen disclosed herein the apparatus is equally adapted to formingpackages of the type in which the containers are completely housedwithin the blank and top end portions or necks thereof do not projectthrough non-existent openings of the blank. In such cases the support125, 122 would be inactive, as is illustrated in FIG. 9 of the drawings.

While preferred forms and arrangement of parts have been shown inillustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that variouschanges in details and arrangement of parts may be made withoutdeparting 1 from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claimed subject matter.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for forming a package from a plurality of articles and awrap-around blank comprising means for conveying articles along apredetermined path, means for supporting the articles during themovement thereof along said path, said supporting means being disposedbeneath said conveying means, a hopper adapted to house a plurality ofwrap-around blanks in generally stacked relationship, means for removinga lowermost blank from the hopper and positioning the same upon a groupof said articles, means for wrapping each blank about an associatedgroup of the articles, means for securing portions of the blank togetherto form a package from the grouped articles and blank, said removingmeans including means for gripping each lowermost blank in the hopper,said gripping means being disposed adjacent and at each side of saidpath, means for moving said gripping means from a first positionadjacent said hopper to a second position more remote therefrom saidgripping means being positioned a predetermined distance from each otherin said first.

position, means for reducing said predetermined distance during themovement of said gripping means from said first position to said secondposition, said supporting and conveying means including endless members,means for driving said endless members at substantically identicalspeeds, and means for relatively adjusting said endless members relativeto each other in the plane of movement thereof.

2. Apparatus for forming a package from a plurality of articles and awrap-around blank comprising means for conveying articles along apredetermined path, means for supporting articles during the movementthereof along said path, said article supporting means being disposedbeneath said article conveying means, means along the entrance portionof said article supporting and conveying means operating in timedrelation to said article conveying means for depositing a I wrap-aroundblank in aligned relation on a groupv of said articles and means spacedalong a further portion of said article supporting and conveying meansfor wrapping said blank about the articles on which it has beendeposited so as to form an overwrapped package, said wrapping meansincluding means for engaging end portions of said blank so as to foldthe same down along opposite sides of said group of articles and meansfor inwardly folding and securing said blank end portions beneath saidgroup of articles, and said article supporting and conveying meansincluding along said further portion thereof endless traveling membersoperating in vertically spaced paths and having thereon verticallyspaced, article supporting elements and article conveying elements, saidarticle Supp rting elements being in lateral alignment with said meansfor inwardly folding and means for adjusting said endless membersrelative r to each other in the plane of movement thereof so as toadjust the position of the article supporting elements and the articleconveying elements relative to each other along said path.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said endless members areentrained about a plurality of sprockets, and said adjusting meansinclude means for relatively rotatablyadjusting at least one sprocket ofsaid article supporting endless member relative to an adjacent sprocketof said article conveying endless member.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said rotatable adjustingmeans includes an arcuate slot in first to said second one of saidlast-mentioned two sprockets, and means for locking said two sprocketstogether through said arcuate slot.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said article supportingmeans endless members have a plurality of article supporting elementsspaced therealong, and said article conveying means endless members havea plurality of conveying elements in the form of pusher lugs forengaging trailing ones of the articles and for imparting movementthereto along said path.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said means for depositingthe blank on the articles includes means for gripping a blank, saidblank gripping means having blank engaging gripper members disposedadjacent and at each side of said path, means for moving said grippingmeans from a first position adjacent a blank containing hopper to asecond position more remote therefrom, said blank engaging grippermembers being positioned a predetermined distanceapart in the firstposition of said gripping means, and means for moving said blankengaging gripper members toward each other while engaging and grippingsaid blank so as to reduce said predetermined distance during themovement of said gripping means from said first to said second position.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said supporting meansendless members include a plurality of supporting elements spacedtherealong, and said conveying means endless members include a pluralityof pusher lugs for engaging trailing ones of the articles and forimparting movement thereto along said path.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said package formingmeans includes means for gripping a blank, said gripping means beingdisposed adjacent and at each side of said path, means for moving saidgripping means from a first position adjacent a blank containing hopperto a second position more remote therefrom, said gripping means beingpositioned a predetermined distance from each other in said firstposition, and means for reducing said predetermined distance during themovement of said gripping means from said first to said second position.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said package formingmeans includes means for gripping a blank, said gripping means beingdisposed adjacent and at each side of said path, means for moving saidgripping means from a first position adjacent a blank containing hopperto a second position more remote therefrom,,said gripping means beingpositioned a predetermined distance from each other in saidfirstposition, and means for reducing said predetermined distance during themovement of said gripping means from said position. 4 n:

"H050 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTH ICATE OF CORRECIION Patent No,,766,704 Dated October 2:3, 1973 Inventor) Robert H. Ganz It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below: I

Column 1, line 19, cancel "folding" and insert fold Column 1, line 26:,cancel "apparatuses" and insert wrapping machines Column 2, line 21,cancel "realtive aid insert relative Column 3, line 44, change"lostmotion" to lost-motion I 3 I Column 5, line 49, cancel "fasteneres"and insert fasteners Column l0, line 18, delete "members 227 forinterengaging. the

panel" Column 10, delete lines 19 and 20 Column 11, line 22 cancel"sizes" and insert sized Column 12, line ll, after. "blade" insertmembers 227 for interengaging the panel locking members. The mechanism50 which is laterally aligned with the container supporting elements 205--1 Column 12, line 45, delete "125',"

Signed and sealed this 21st day of May 1972;.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M-FLETJP 0. MARSHALL DAHN Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. Apparatus for forming a package from a plurality of articles and awrap-around blank comprising means for conveying articles along apredetermined path, means for supporting the articles during themovement thereof along said path, said supporting means being disposedbeneath said conveying means, a hopper adapted to house a plurality ofwrap-around blanks in generally stacked relationship, means for removinga lowermost blank from the hopper and positioning the same upon a groupof said articles, means for wrapping each blank about an associatedgroup of the articles, means for securing portions of the blank togetherto form a package from the grouped articles and blank, said removingmeans including means for griPping each lowermost blank in the hopper,said gripping means being disposed adjacent and at each side of saidpath, means for moving said gripping means from a first positionadjacent said hopper to a second position more remote therefrom saidgripping means being positioned a predetermined distance from each otherin said first position, means for reducing said predetermined distanceduring the movement of said gripping means from said first position tosaid second position, said supporting and conveying means includingendless members, means for driving said endless members atsubstantically identical speeds, and means for relatively adjusting saidendless members relative to each other in the plane of movement thereof.2. Apparatus for forming a package from a plurality of articles and awrap-around blank comprising means for conveying articles along apredetermined path, means for supporting articles during the movementthereof along said path, said article supporting means being disposedbeneath said article conveying means, means along the entrance portionof said article supporting and conveying means operating in timedrelation to said article conveying means for depositing a wrap-aroundblank in aligned relation on a group of said articles and means spacedalong a further portion of said article supporting and conveying meansfor wrapping said blank about the articles on which it has beendeposited so as to form an overwrapped package, said wrapping meansincluding means for engaging end portions of said blank so as to foldthe same down along opposite sides of said group of articles and meansfor inwardly folding and securing said blank end portions beneath saidgroup of articles, and said article supporting and conveying meansincluding along said further portion thereof endless traveling membersoperating in vertically spaced paths and having thereon verticallyspaced, article supporting elements and article conveying elements, saidarticle supporting elements being in lateral alignment with said meansfor inwardly folding and securing said blank end portions, means fordriving said endless members at substantially identical speeds, andmeans for adjusting said endless members relative to each other in theplane of movement thereof so as to adjust the position of the articlesupporting elements and the article conveying elements relative to eachother along said path.
 3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 whereinsaid endless members are entrained about a plurality of sprockets, andsaid adjusting means include means for relatively rotatably adjusting atleast one sprocket of said article supporting endless member relative toan adjacent sprocket of said article conveying endless member.
 4. Theapparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said rotatable adjusting meansincludes an arcuate slot in one of said last-mentioned two sprockets,and means for locking said two sprockets together through said arcuateslot.
 5. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said articlesupporting means endless members have a plurality of article supportingelements spaced therealong, and said article conveying means endlessmembers have a plurality of conveying elements in the form of pusherlugs for engaging trailing ones of the articles and for impartingmovement thereto along said path.
 6. The apparatus as defined in claim 3wherein said means for depositing the blank on the articles includesmeans for gripping a blank, said blank gripping means having blankengaging gripper members disposed adjacent and at each side of saidpath, means for moving said gripping means from a first positionadjacent a blank containing hopper to a second position more remotetherefrom, said blank engaging gripper members being positioned apredetermined distance apart in the first position of said grippingmeans, and means for moving said blank engaging gripper members towardeach other while engaging and gripping said blank so as to reduce saidpredetermined distance during the moVement of said gripping means fromsaid first to said second position.
 7. The apparatus as defined in claim4 wherein said supporting means endless members include a plurality ofsupporting elements spaced therealong, and said conveying means endlessmembers include a plurality of pusher lugs for engaging trailing ones ofthe articles and for imparting movement thereto along said path.
 8. Theapparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said package forming meansincludes means for gripping a blank, said gripping means being disposedadjacent and at each side of said path, means for moving said grippingmeans from a first position adjacent a blank containing hopper to asecond position more remote therefrom, said gripping means beingpositioned a predetermined distance from each other in said firstposition, and means for reducing said predetermined distance during themovement of said gripping means from said first to said second position.9. The apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said package formingmeans includes means for gripping a blank, said gripping means beingdisposed adjacent and at each side of said path, means for moving saidgripping means from a first position adjacent a blank containing hopperto a second position more remote therefrom, said gripping means beingpositioned a predetermined distance from each other in said firstposition, and means for reducing said predetermined distance during themovement of said gripping means from said first to said second position.